1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to assemblies for accessing a body cavity, and more particularly, the disclosure relates to an access assembly for receiving more than one instrument therethrough, and for manipulating the instruments relative to each other.
2. Background of Related Art
Trocars and other access assemblies are used by surgeons to operate on a patient without having to create large incisions that may become infected and may cause major scaring. Access assemblies are known in the art, as are the instruments inserted therethrough for operating within the body cavity. Typically, an access assembly includes a housing configured receiving an instrument, and a tubular member or cannula affixed to the housing and configured for insertion into a body cavity. These assemblies generally include at least one seal mounted within the housing and/or cannula to prevent the escape of insufflation gas.
Tradition access assemblies are configured to receive a single instrument. Therefore, a surgeon must use multiple access assemblies to complete an operation requiring the simultaneous use of more than one instrument. Inserting multiple access assemblies into a patient increases the length of the procedure, as well as increases the potential sites for infection and/or complications.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have an access assembly capable of receiving more than one instrument. It would further be beneficial if, once received, the instruments could be manipulated relative to one another.